Pope speaks first words in public since operation

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Pope John Paul II spoke his first words in public yesterday
since his throat operation more than two weeks ago, when he briefly
addressed pilgrims from his hospital window for the traditional
Sunday Angelus.

"Dear brothers and sisters, thank you for your visit," the
84-year-old said in a hoarse but intelligible voice during a brief
appearance.

A spokesman later announced the Pope would leave Rome's Gemelli
Hospital and return to the Vatican later in the day.

"Have a good Sunday," he said into a microphone at the end of
his appearance during which he repeatedly waved to a crowd of happy
pilgrims outside the hospital and repeatedly made the sign of the
cross.

It was the first time the Pope has spoken during a public
appearance since his hospitalisation and subsequent tracheotomy on
February 24 to relieve acute breathing problems linked to flu.

Hopes that the pontiff, whose recovery has been complicated by
Parkinson's disease, would speak at least a few words to pilgrims
had been raised on Friday when Vatican television showed footage of
the pontiff speaking at a mass.

Sunday's Angelus followed the normal pattern since his
hospitalisation, with John Paul II appearing at his window at
Rome's Gemelli hospital only after an aide, Archbishop Leonardo
Sandri, had delivered the traditional Sunday blessing before
hundreds of pilgrims in St Peter's Square.

"I started crying as soon as I heard his voice," said Ivana
Fudala, a Polish woman who travelled with a Polish children's choir
from Chicago to try to catch her first ever glimpse of the
Pope.

"I could only see his hands, but even that was very important
for me," she said as the group, clad in bright yellow raincoats,
chanted under the Pope's window: "Chicago loves You!" in
Polish.

The hundreds of pilgrims, priests, nuns and just plain curious
outside the hospital kept a hushed silence as they awaited the
Pope's appearance but broke into applause as soon as the blinds of
his window were parted.

Lupita del Toro, from the Mexican town of Halisco, said hearing
the pontiff's voice filled her with hope that he would recover. "It
gives me strength to go on."

Angela Doria, who lives in Rome, could not hold back her tears
as soon as she heard the pontiff's frail voice. "He has always
touched my heart, but particularly now that he is suffering so
much," she said, as her husband consoled her.

It the message read to pilgrims read out by Sandri, the Pope
paid tribute to the media for its coverage of his hospitalisation,
but called on those who work in the industry to respect human
dignity and to work for the common good.

"Those who work in this field have a great responsibility to
always furnish precise information, respectful of the dignity of
the person and attentive to the common good," he said.

The Pope said he wanted to thank the media for its coverage of
his hospitalisation "because I know that it is not without
sacrifice that they do their appreciated reports, thanks to which
the faithful, all over the world, can feel closer to me and
accompany me with affection and prayers."